Such a multimedia arrangement is known from the patent WO 02/17627 A2.
There, a remote control for a set-top box is described, which can be personalized for the specific user, which is done using biometric features of the user, such as, for example, a fingerprint reader, a voice recognition circuit, an iris scanner, a “sniffer”, or a face-recognition device. As an alternative to automated personalization, the specific user can also be required to provide a password, a specified keying sequence, or the like. With it, a set-top box and other home entertainment equipment, such as a video recorder, CD player, DVD player, and so on, can be controlled with a single remote control in one family or household.
Personalization of a remote control in connection with a set-top box has a number of advantages:                The set-top box can be programmed in the sense of child security, so that only selected television channels are seen and other channels are blocked;        the set-top box can be so programmed that, also in the sense of child security, only specified television times are decontrolled, while the equipment is blocked at other times;        the set-top box can be programmed so that for each user their television preferences are put together, particularly pre-programmed groups of TV channels, such as, for instance, sport channels, entertainment channels, educational channels, etc. For each user, the spaces reserved for individual buttons on the remote control can be changed, whereby the number of possible buttons can also be reduced;        with interactive systems, such as interactive TV, home shopping, home banking, video-on-demand, or similar ones, the user can be identified, in which additional securities can be built into the set-top box here as well, for example overall limits for ordering goods or films, types of films (for example, suitable for those under 18), etc.        
In the patent WO 02/17627 A2 describing a remote control, the user is identified once using a fingerprint reader. The remote then remains personalized to this user as long as he is logged in by pressing a specific button again or by a new operation of the fingerprint reader. If this is forgotten that another user with the full access permission of the previous user can execute these functions.
As a remedy, it can be provided that the personalization and thus most of the functions are automatically turned off when no button on the remote control has been operated for a predetermined period of time or if the set-top box or a TV is turned off. It can also be provided that each push of a button or specific function is performed only when the finger-print reader has at the same time also identified an authorized person. As a further possibility, it can also be provided that all or at least several buttons on the remote are fitted with a fingerprint reader.
The patent WO 02/084991 A1 likewise describes a remote control which can be personalized for an interactive television system. There, it is primarily a matter of assigning buttons programmed for the specific user, in order to reduce the number of buttons. Additional functions such as, for example, “Open garage door”, can be implemented. For several users, a table can be stored, on which the assignment of individual buttons can be set up for predetermined user-specific functions. By pressing a specific button, a menu is called up, on which all users are shown and a specific user can be selected. No security measures are provided there to prevent someone from logging on under a user name that is not assigned to him.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,881 describes an interactive computer system for multimedia operation in which a user profile can be stored. This can be done both on a local computer or a host computer of a network. This computer system can also, for example, be connected to a remote transmitter by cable. Using this compiled user profile, specified data or video content can be selected.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,020 describes a remote control which can control a large number of devices. Each remote has a clearly identified code. A central control unit for several remotes is thus able to identify the individual remote and assign to it specific devices to be controlled remotely.
The patent WO 2004/055717 shows a multimedia system with a remote-control unit, which exhibits a finger-print reading unit, for the remote control of a set-top box, to which a television is connected. The set-top box is connected over a network to a remotely located server. The set-top box establishes a connec-tion to the remote server only when an authorized user has been identified on the remote by the fingerprint reader.
US patent 2003/0001907 A1 describes a method and equipment for controlling an electronic device. To navigate through a hierarchy of groups of control commands, fields are represented in a column and in a row, in which the rows and the columns intersect in a focus field. The fields of a column and the fields of a row can be moved separately. The column field and the row field found in the focus field are combined to bring about a predefined action. At the same time, a variable number on the menu level is provided whereby, if need be, the elements placed in the focus field call up the next menu level. The user thereby still retains an overview, and additional information is displayed in fields adjacent to the focus field on the respective menu level.
Similar devices are also described in EP 1 185 922 B1, EP 1 291 754 A2, and EP 1 425 652 A1. Many hierarchies and menu levels are also provided there, in case any of them are needed, which complicates operation and makes it confusing.
US 2002/0043557 A1 describes a multimedia system with a remote control which identifies a special memory card related to the equipment to be controlled.
Multimedia systems with remote control and the highlighted representation of selectable actions are also known from WO 03/021915 A2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,391 B1, and WO 03/043318 A1.
The complexity of operation is, however, a problem in the known multimedia equipment with personalized remote control. Many remote controls have up to 40 or more buttons, with which specific functions are selected. Different functions can even be assigned to individual buttons for each user. This has the result that most users generally use only a limited number of functions. Besides, personalization also is complicated to accomplish. With most equipment, a menu is called up using a personal “menu” button, which displays several main functions and, in part, on various highly-staggered submenus, the individual functions available. In practice, most users are overwhelmed by this complexity and usually only the younger family members are generally able to operate such equipment, which then again is counterproductive, because functions directly related to security, such as child security, home banking, or fee-required functions that can be called up, just cannot be blocked directly against young people.